A Mutual Love of Fantastic Creatures
by Muggle Jane
Summary: A series of (hopefully mostly) linear oneshots featuring Charlie/Luna. Written for Bex's Ultimate OTP Competition (and others!)
1. An Official Meeting

**A/N: Disclaimer of not owning anything recognizable. A series of (hopefully mostly) linear oneshots for Bex's Ultimate OTP Competition (and others)**

**Prompt: A wedding. Also written for the Duct Tape Challenge- prompt red plaid**

Ginny and Harry were getting married. It was a good day to get married, beautiful and sunny. A little on the hot side, being summer, but that's what cooling charms were for. Hermione and I had cast them all over the place in preparation for the warm press of bodies. Ginny had chosen her birthday, and was only half-joking when she told the rest of us that it was because it would help him remember both her birthday and their anniversary.

She was beautiful and he was handsome and they both looked so happy as they stood under the tent and exchanged their vows. She'd asked me to be one of her bridesmaids, along with Hermione, and I'd said yes. I was standing beside her, wearing the pretty green dress she'd chosen for us, and waiting for the ceremony to be over. She'd made me wear shoes, heeled shoes. I was desperately uncomfortable and wanted nothing more than to take them off.

At last they kissed each other and everyone clapped and I stepped out of my heels onto the dirt. The actual wedding part was over. A quick rearranging, and the tent was ready for dancing and talking and eating. I picked up my heels and handed them to Hermione, who wordlessly held out her charmed handbag for me to slip them into. I'd get them from her later.

There were a great many people there. Both Harry and Ginny were very popular and it seemed like all of wizarding Britain had been invited. That wasn't exactly true, but it sure seemed like it. I found a table at the edge of the tent by myself, content to sit and watch my friends move around and talk. Ginny and Harry were completely wrapped up in each other, doing Harry's version of dancing in the middle of the tent. He was horrible at it, but she didn't seem to mind. She wasn't marrying him for his dancing skills, anyway.

A short red-haired man came up to the table. "Do you mind if I sit here?" he asked me.

"Of course not," I replied. "A chair is the proper place to sit, just think how silly you would look if you tried to sit on the ceiling."

He looked at me as though he was trying to decide if I was making fun of him. I'd seen that look before. "You're one of Ginny's brothers," I told him. I vaguely remembered him from previous Weasley family events.

"I am. Charlie."

"Hello, Charlie. I'm Luna. I live just over the hill. I don't recall that we've properly met before, although I'm not sure you would remember me."

"I'm sure I'd remember you," he said, and I didn't know what he meant by that. Before I could ask, though, he asked me to dance.

I considered him solemnly for a moment. "Only if you're a better dancer than Ron," I told him after a moment.

He offered me his hand. "I've never danced with Ron, you'll have to let me know."

I looked at his hand for a moment before taking it. "Do we have to do it in here? It's much less crowded outside. A little warmer, though."

He was smiling as he led me outside the tent. There were a few people moving about outside, but not like the crush of people in the tent. We started dancing.

"It's nice that you're not very tall. Most of my friends are, you see, and I get the most awful cramp in my neck sometimes." He was probably still about half a head taller than I was, but that was nothing compared to Ron or Harry or even Neville. "You live very far away from here, don't you?"

"Romania. I work on a dragon preserve there."

"Really?" I asked excitedly. "Dragons, how lovely! I'm going to be a wizarding naturalist."

"Going to be?"

"Well, the pay isn't very good when you're just starting out, so I'm working for a while before I can get there. Maybe you could help me get a closer look at dragons!"

"Maybe," he replied.

"It's alright if you say no, Charlie," I told him. "You don't really know me. You are a better dancer than Ron, by the way. I was worried because I have no shoes on and it hurts to get stepped on."

He glanced down between us at my feet. "How could I say no to such a pretty girl?"

"Are you teasing me or flirting with me?" I asked. "I don't mind being teased, but I think I'd rather be flirted with."

"Are you always this forward?" He looked a little taken aback by the openness of my question.

"Yes. Harry says I'm uncomfortably forward."

"Definitely flirting."

I smiled brightly at him. "That's nice. Maybe you could walk me home tonight? You don't have to, of course, I could just Apparate home. But it would give you more time to flirt with me. I'm afraid I'm not much good at it myself."

"I would be honored," he replied, looking just a little bemused. People often looked that way around me, even my friends. "You reckon you'll be able to walk home with no shoes on?"

"Of course," I replied. "I used to walk in the Forbidden Forest all the time with no shoes when I was at school. I liked to visit with the thestrals. They're very beautiful."

"You were able to see thestrals when you were in school?" He frowned a little. "Lovegood. Are you a Lovegood?"

I nodded. "That's right."

"I remember when we were on holidays from school one year, Mum cooked up a storm and took it all to you and your dad."

"I like your Mum, she's always been very kind to me." I leaned forward a little to whisper, "I think she thinks I'm a little odd, though."

The song ended and he stopped moving. "Would you like to get something to drink?" he asked.

"That would be nice." We went back into the tent together.


	2. Banana Pancakes

**Prompt: a feather. Also written for the Cinema Challenge- an embarrassing incident**

I heard a noise coming from upstairs and had to smile softly to myself. In a moment, Charlie descended the stairs and I turned my head to greet him. He hadn't put his shirt back on, but at least he was wearing his trousers again. Dad was outside in the garden and would be back in just a moment.

"Luna." He sounded a little uncertain, as though he couldn't quite remember what had happened the previous night. Of course, there was a good chance that he couldn't. He'd walked me home from the wedding and then we'd split a bottle of some dandelion wine that was sitting in the pantry and he'd become quite inebriated.

"Good morning Charlie," I greeted him with a smile. "I'm making pancakes."

"Pancakes?" he echoed uncertainly, staring at the griddle.

"Yes, I asked you what you wanted for breakfast and you told me you loved banana pancakes more than anything in the world except dragons. And I'm afraid we're fresh out of dragon steaks."

He looked at me as though he wasn't sure if I was being serious or not. "Is there coffee?"

"Of course," I answered, pointing to the pot on the counter. "The mugs are just above it."

He silently poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table, looking around the room curiously.

We'd rebuilt the house since it was destroyed in the war. It was only two stories now and a lot less airy, but it was what we could pull together on short notice.

Dad came back in and surveyed our houseguest. "Mr Weasley, I presume," he said. "Xenophilius Lovegood. Which one are you?"

"Charlie." Poor Charlie sounded a little dazed.

"How lovely. Did you have a pleasant evening?"

There was a moment of silence before Charlie answered. "Yes, thank you."

"And what is it you do?"

Another long pause. "I work with dragons in Romania."

"How lovely." Dad turned his attention back to me. "I found this curious feather sticking to one of the dirigible plums, would you like it?"

"Thank you," I replied, taking the feather with the hand that wasn't holding the spatula. He patted my arm and passed on into his office and I put a full plate of pancakes down on the table. I used my wand to summon a knife and fork for Charlie, and the strawberry syrup and butter.

I held the feather up in front of me and blew on it gently. "Hippogriff," I observed. "I hope they come back this fall."

"Hippogriffs come here?" he asked.

"Yes. They like the dirigible plums, you see." I got myself what was my second cup of coffee that morning and sat down opposite him.

"Are you... not eating?" he asked after a moment.

"No. I already ate. You insisted on getting more sleep, though, so I took the time to make you banana pancakes."

"Did... Did we..." He hesitated, seeming to search for the right word.

"Have sex?" I offered helpfully, causing him to drench me in the mouthful of coffee he'd taken. "No. It was very hot to sleep together, though, so you insisted on taking off all your clothes." I used the hem of my shirt to dry off my forehead and the side of my face. "You were a perfect gentleman, Charlie, you insisted on taking me on a date before trying to get me in bed. Of course, I pointed out that I was already in bed with you and you kissed my cheek and turned over and told me I was 'just brilliant.'"

From the look on his face, he apparently didn't remember any of that. "Did I?"

"Yes. And you asked me to dinner for tonight, but I told you that you should ask me again in the morning when you would actually remember."

He was silent. "I'm sorry, I'm normally a lot more..."

"I know," I replied with a smile. "You certainly were last night. I think you're still a little drunk, though. And not, happy-and-flirting-and-singing-songs, but uncertain and somewhat out of place, as though your mind doesn't quite fit in your head anymore."

He groaned. "I didn't sing, did I?"

"You did," I affirmed. "You insisted on it. I wasn't about to stop you, creative expression should always be encouraged."

"Why do I always make an arse of myself in front of the pretty ones?" he asked himself, staring morosely at the table.

"You're not," I replied. "I had a lot of fun last night." He looked at me sharply as though he wasn't aware he'd asked the previous question out loud. "You should eat your pancakes before they get hard like rocks. I'll be up in my room; it's easier to eat when someone isn't staring at you." I stood up and took my coffee cup upstairs.

When he came up, he looked considerably better. "Thank you for breakfast," he told me as he walked through my open door.

"You're very welcome." I smiled up at him.

"Are you working today?"

"No, your brothers thought that I might be a little too hungover to go in today, so it's just Verity working."

"You work for my brothers?" he asked, having a seat next to me on the bed. His confidence was certainly back.

"Yes. I help them with some of the charms and I test the products, of course, and sometimes I help up front if it's very busy."

His arm draped across the mound of pillows that we were both sitting against at the head of my bed, his fingers brushing against my shoulder. He was definitely feeling better. "I'll need to get home to visit with my family soon and, of course, get clean clothes, but would you like to come out to dinner with me?"

"That would be nice," I told him. "But if you're going to try and get me into bed, we might want to come back here after dinner."

He gave me that look that said he didn't know if I was being serious again before leaning over to kiss my cheek, then standing up to put his shirt back on. "I'll come by around six to pick you up?"

"I hope so," I told him seriously and he gave me a smile before slipping back out of the room.


	3. Swimming and Sandwiches

**A/N: Prompt- kiss on the cheek. Also written for the Cinema Challenge, Titanic**

There was a knock at the door at around a quarter to six. I heard Dad open it and then say that I wasn't ready, along with an offer to come in and have some tea while they waited. And then silence. Dad's not very good at small talk, I think that's where I get it from.

I finished getting ready and went downstairs. Charlie was sitting in the rebuilt kitchen with my dad, and he had a somewhat relieved look on his face when he saw me. "Hello, Charlie," I greeted him pleasantly.

"Luna." He got to his feet and when I walked over to him and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "I'm sorry I'm early, but Mum was making me a bit mental."

"It's fine," I reassured him. "I'm ready to go now."

"Are you going to sleep here again tonight, Charlie?" Dad asked politely.

For some reason, the inquiry seemed to surprise him a little bit. He looked between the two of us for a moment. "I'm not sure." It was a statement, but it came out as more of a question.

"If you do, just be aware that I'll have the press running all night. The next issue of the Quibbler goes out tomorrow and it makes quite a bit of noise."

"Alright. Thank you," he added after a moment.

I said goodbye to Dad and went outside with Charlie. "Are you alright?" I asked him. He had a funny expression on his face.

"I wasn't really expecting that." He stared back at the door for a moment and then gave me an open smile. "I'm fine. I know I asked you out for dinner, but Bill suggested that you might like something a little less conventional."

"He's very likely right," I agreed. Bill was very dear to me. He and Fleur had become good friends of mine since I'd sheltered with them after poor Dobby had rescued us all.

"Do you have an Anti-Apparation charm up?"

I nodded. "We're unplottable too."

"How far out does it extend?"

I took his hand and led him just past the gate to the garden. "We can Apparate here."

He pulled me to him, his arms wrapped loosely around my waist. "Are you ready?"

I rested my hands on his shoulders and braced myself for side-along Apparation. "Yes."

In just a moment, we were somewhere very different. Instead of my squat house, there was a lake. Instead of the worn path leading up to my garden, we were standing on rich green grass. "This is lovely," I observed brightly. "Are we going swimming? I love swimming."

He had a smile for me "I thought we could eat first." With his head, he gestured to a picnic basket on our other side where it sitting on the grass and waiting for us in a tempting sort of fashion. Beyond that, we were surrounded by trees and thick bush. It was just a small space and it looked quite inaccessible to people who didn't know exactly how to get it.

"This is very nice." I gently pulled away from him and went over to the picnic basket to explore the contents.

He conjured up a blanket for us and spread it on the ground and then we sat down to eat. He'd made sandwiches and there was a pitcher of pumpkin juice. "It's not much, but Mum wasn't keen on letting me take over her kitchen. I do know how to cook." He sounded just a little bit defensive.

"I believe you," I assured him. "If it would make you feel better, you could cook breakfast for me in the morning."

"Does your dad really not mind that I stayed with you last night?"

"Not at all. Why would he?" I tilted my head slightly to the side and stared at him curiously.

"I don't even want to think what would have happened if Ginny had tried to have a bloke stay the night with her."

"She did, though. Harry stayed with her quite a lot." I paused for a moment and shook my head. "I don't think anyone was supposed to find out about it. Did no one trust her to make her own decisions?"

He drenched me with his mouthful of pumpkin juice as it came spraying out of his mouth. I lifted the hem of my skirt to dry off my face while he recovered. "I'm not sure about that," he said finally.

"I asked your mum about it and she didn't really give me an answer either. She said something about it not being proper and she went very red in the face and then she made me eat. I do know that Bill was conceived before your mum and dad were married, so I don't expect she's always felt that way."

He was giving me that very bemused look that people sometimes give me, and we were both quiet while we ate.

As soon as I was done eating, I slipped off my shoes and ran and jumped into the water. It wasn't a natural lake, so the water was immediately up to my knees and the bottom dropped off quite suddenly. The water was cool, of course, but the sun had been shining on it all day so it was still quite pleasant.

I looked up to where Charlie was still sitting on the blanket, watching me. "Are you coming in?" I called to him. "The water is really nice."

After a moment, he stood and pulled off his shirt and then came and joined me in the lake. We swam together and splashed and floated and then sat together on the grass, our feet dangling into the water. He put his arm around me and pulled me close against him. "I'm going back to Romania tomorrow."

"Are you still going to be able to make me breakfast?" I rested my head against his bare shoulder, his skin still slightly damp from our swim. "I do have to work tomorrow morning, though."

"If you want." I could hear the smile in his voice. "Will you write to me?"

"Of course I will," I answered promptly. "My writing is very small. Hermione was always complaining that she could barely read it."

"I'm sure I'll manage. You could come and visit me, and I'll be back for Christmas."

"Your brothers will probably give me the time off to visit you. They'll be a little put out though, I think."

His arm tightened around me. "I'll make sure they do." After a pause, he asked, "Why would they be put out?"

"They've been trying to set me up with someone for a while now."

"Have they?" I couldn't miss the disapproval in his voice. "Who?"

"Ron, Lee, Seamus." I paused, thinking. "Oliver. Theo." That had been an awkward date.

"I'll have to have a talk with them." There was a definite threat in his voice.

"I don't think you'll have to. Hermione convinced them not to try and get me a date for the wedding."

"Did she?"

"Fred listens to her because she makes him sleep on the sofa if he doesn't."

"They're... together?" He sounded quite surprised. "I suppose that explains some things. Still, I think I'll have a word or two tomorrow morning."

We sat in silence for a time and then he gently turned my face so I was looking at him. His blue eyes were very close and then he was kissing me. His mouth was soft and warm and he seemed to know what he was doing.

We stayed at the lake until after the summer sun had set and the moon was shining down on us. He did come home to stay the night with me and assured me that the press was no louder than the dragons he normally slept near.


	4. Swedish Short-Snout

I don't like traveling by Portkey, it always makes me feel like my mind is just to the left of where my body ends up. But, I was going to visit Charlie in Romania, and international travel always needs a Portkey.

Mrs Weasley had given me a long talk about being safe there and several gifts to take to Charlie and then she'd given me a funny look and a hug. I suspected she didn't quite know what to think about me being with her second-oldest son, but she seemed to accept us together. That was nice.

I couldn't keep my feet when I landed in a clearing in Romania. Charlie was waiting for me, and as soon as he saw me, a smile covered his face and he came striding over. It had been about a month and a half since I'd seen him and he looked just about the same, although there was a long scratch on one of his hands that disappeared under his sleeve that hadn't been there before.

I jumped up and dropped my bag and ran to him, jumping into the air to wrap my limbs around him. He caught me and held me easily, giving a surprised laugh. "That's a nice way to say hello."

"I missed you," I told him, and lifted my face from his shoulder to meet his eyes. "Your family sends their love, especially your mum and Bill. Your mum sent things for you, too."

"I missed you too, Luna." He was kissing me then, and I kissed him enthusiastically in return. I liked kissing Charlie.

Eventually, though, he rather reluctantly lowered me to the ground. "I'll show you where I live and then maybe we can walk around for a little bit and I can show you some of the dragons?"

I clapped my hands excitedly. "I'd really like that."

He went over and retrieved my bag and then came back and looped his arm around my waist. "I'm going to Apparate us inside my cottage, but we can't Apparate anywhere near the dragons, the noise disturbs them."

I nodded. I slid my arms around him and waited.

In just a moment, we were standing inside a low-ceilinged stone cottage. It was a good thing neither one of us were very tall, it would make it uncomfortable to stand up. It was very plainly furnished, I got the impression that he didn't spend a whole lot of time there.

He gave me the tour. The kitchen adjoined the sitting room where there was a small, sturdy wooden table tucked up against the window to eat at, along with a sofa and a single battered armchair. There was a guest room and his room, and we ended up not leaving his room for some time.

* * *

We were walking by one of the enclosures, as close as we could get. He had his arm around me, holding me close against his side. "This is as close as we can get, any closer would be too dangerous. You want to be a wizarding naturalist," he said as we came to a stop. "What is this?"

I peered into the habitat with its magical fence, where a silvery-blue dragon was lazily dozing in the autumn sunshine. "That is a Swedish Short-Snout. Dad and I saw one in Sweden when we were looking for the Crumple-Horned Snorkack."

"The what?" I could hear the bemusement in his voice.

"Crumple-Horned Snorkack. We didn't find any, of course."

There was a short moment of silence. "Right."

"I don't know that I'm going to be a wizarding naturalist, though," I told him. I'd given it a lot of thought.

"Why not?"

I sighed. "Because I have a very strong suspicion that if I do, and I go out searching for things like Crumple-Horned Snorkacks and Nargles and Plimpies, I won't find anything. And Dad will ask me about it, and then I'll have to tell him. I think he would be really upset."

He kissed my temple. "What would you do instead?"

"Become a Healer," I answered promptly. "Professor Flitwick suggested I take all of the proper N.E.W.T.s for it because he thought it was something I might enjoy, and I did."

He turned towards me, wrapping his other arm around my waist to join the first and stepping into me so that my side was pressed up against his torso. "You sound quite certain."

"I think I am." It was too late in the year for me to start training right away, but I'd be able to as soon as the new year started.

"You won't be able to come out and visit me as often." He tried to keep his voice neutral, but there was a little bit of disappointment that crept in.

"No, that's true." I stared at the sleepy dragon. "But then I would be able to work anywhere."

"There's a dragon preserve in Wales," he said after a moment, turning his head to rest his cheek against the top of mine. "I would be able to transfer there if I wanted to, they'd jump at the chance to have me."

"I don't think we've been together for long enough for you to make that kind of decision for me," I told him lightly. "I know you like it here, or you wouldn't still be here."

He gave a rather exasperated-sounding sigh. "I've thought about it, Mum wants me to."

"But is it something you really want to do, Charlie?"

He didn't answer, just gave me another kiss on my temple.


	5. Revealed Decisions

As much as I didn't like Portkeys, I had taken one again. It was Charlie's birthday and he'd told me that all he wanted was me visiting him in Romania. So I was going to stay with him for a week, and then he was going back home with me for Christmas.

His fellow dragon keepers had thrown him a bit of a party with some cake and a lot of the local version of whiskey, and then he'd said something about unwrapping his present which involved a lot of leering and whistling from everyone, and then we'd ended up in his bed.

I was laying with my head on his shoulder, our hands clasped, fingers entwined on his abdomen. "You meant me!" I realized. "When you said you were going to unwrap your present."

"I did." I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Happy birthday, Charlie."

The hand that was resting on my hip squeezed me to him for a moment. "The happiest one I've had in quite some time," he told me, making me smile.

"I'm glad."

"Are you going to be bored for a whole week while you're here?" The last time I'd visited him, it had just been for three days.

I shook my head. "There's a lot for me to do here. I can paint, I can read, I can walk, I expect I'll be spending at least some of it with you."

"Just be careful when you're going about by yourself," he cautioned me.

"Why?"

He was silent for a moment, his hand smoothing down over my hip. "You're very pretty, Luna, and there aren't a whole lot of witches around here."

That was certainly true. There was a mediwitch on staff who reminded me a lot of Professor Sprout, and one female keeper, and the rest were all wizards.

I lifted my head to look at him, bracing myself on my elbow. "You think one of the other keepers would try something untoward with me?"

He sighed. "I don't think anyone would go that far, but you might find yourself receiving more attention than you perhaps want to."

"I always receive more attention than I want to, Charlie."

He was silent for a moment, frowning. "What do you mean?"

"People think I'm very odd. There's always a lot of pointing and whispering, especially when they realize who my dad is."

He gently pulled his hand away from mine and traced the line of my jaw with one gentle finger. "You are unique, Luna."

"I certainly hope so," I told him earnestly. "If I wasn't, then I might have to compete with myself for your affection, and I don't imagine that would turn out very well."

His entire upper body was shaking with silent laughter. "I'm not sure I could handle more than one of you."

"It's good, then, that I'm the only me there is." I rested my chin on his shoulder, looking up into his face. "I'm going to start Healer training in the new year."

"I thought we'd already discussed this." His hand was trailing up and down along my back, his calloused fingers tender.

"I told you that I might. Now I know for certain."

"It's good, then, that I'm going to be moving to Wales."

I lifted my head and sat up, drawing his warm quilt around my shoulders. "For me?"

There was an intense light behind his blue eyes as he locked them with mine. "Partly," he admitted. "They're offering me the Assistant Head Dragon Keeper position there, I could hardly turn it down. And Mum's been at me to move closer to home; especially after the war, she wants to know that her family is close."

I studied him solemnly. "Is this what you really want? What if you and I realize that we're better off being friends?"

He was frowning again, his brow furrowed exactly like his father's did. "I don't think that's going to happen."

"I don't either, but it does, sometimes. Neither you nor I was the first person that the other has been with, so it's obviously happened to the both of us before. What's to say it's not going to happen again?"

He didn't have the same temper as some of his younger siblings, or his mum, but I could tell that he was starting to get somewhat upset with me. "Are you trying to push me away?"

"I'm trying to ensure that you don't make a mistake. You should never make decisions for other people, Charlie, only for yourself."

He slid up until he was sitting as well, his back resting against the solid wooden headboard of his bed. "Then why are you becoming a Healer, if not for other people?" His hands slid down my quilt-covered arms, and he took one of my hands in each of his. "Didn't you tell me that you didn't want to be a wizarding naturalist anymore because of your dad?"

I had told him that, and it was the truth. "I've only ever had my dad for almost ten years now. I couldn't imagine doing something that would hurt him so much."

He was frowning again. "I can see that, but it's not true, you know. He's not all you have. You have friends; I know a good few members of my own family who consider you a close friend. And you have me."

I stared at him while I thought. It was true. In the past few years, I'd made some very dear friends. And Charlie... "You're right. I'm very used to it just being me." I thought for another moment. "Do I have you?"

He tugged on my hands gently until I moved forward to settle myself against his broad chest again. "Don't you?" he countered, wrapping his arms about me to hold me close.

I nodded, slipping my hands around him. "It will be nice to see you without needing a Portkey."

"It still won't be as often as I'd like, I'm afraid. I'll be very busy most of the time. But when I get settled, I'll show you my new home and you'll be welcome whenever you want."

"Even if you're not there?"

"Even then. Just as long as you promise to wait for me until I get home."

I smiled happily. "I can do that."


	6. Happily Ever After

**A/N: The competition is over, but I wanted to give these two a more ended ending. Happily ever after!**

"I think he looks more nervous than you do," Bill observed with a broad grin.

I tilted my head to the side and peered up at him. "What is there to be nervous about? I'm certainly not any more frightening than a dragon."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "He's not nervous about you, Luna, he's worried about disappointing you."

I turned my back to him so he could zip up the last few inches of my dress. "I don't think that's even possible." I thought for a moment. "I suppose it is possible. He could decide not to be there."

"There's no chance of that." He sounded quite sure of that fact.

I turned back to the tall redhead. "Then tell him to stop worrying." I was glad that Charlie wasn't nearly as tall as his older brother. I'd asked Fleur about it, and she said she never got a cramp in her neck when she kissed him, but I just really didn't see how. "It's not going to do him any good, and time always seems to go more slowly when you're anxious about something. Did he send you up here just to see how nervous I am?"

He chuckled. "Not in so many words, but yes."

I sighed. "I hope he's not too disappointed that I'm not nervous." Poor Charlie. "Well, it'll be over soon, and then there won't be anything left to worry about."

His eyebrows lifted up, amused. "You're not excited?"

"I suppose I am," I replied seriously. "It'll be nice to be a family with him and I do like cake, but it just seems like such a big fuss for something that could happen very quietly somewhere, without all of the scrutiny and ceremony. But after Fred and Hermione eloped, I think your mum would be very upset if we didn't do it like this." Another sigh. "I do appreciate all of the trouble she's gone to..." I wasn't ungrateful. Mrs Weasley had put a lot of time and effort into making sure the day went off perfectly, it was just a bit more than I would have arranged on my own.

He chuckled again and pulled me into a hug. "You'll be fine, Luna. Everyone is here to celebrate with you." He stepped back and eyed me. "I reckon I'd better go and report back. 'Ready to be married,' does that sound about right?"

I nodded. I was definitely ready to be married.

Bill left, and Hermione and Ginny came back into Ginny's old room, where I was getting ready. Fleur was talking to Charlie, apparently; I hoped she could manage him into being less nervous. I wasn't allowed to see him, of course, so there was really nothing I could do for him.

It wasn't long before my friends hugged me and then they were outside, walking along the aisle formed by the rows of chairs, up to the small group of wizards at the end.

Soon enough it was my turn to walk down the aisle and stand up at the end. Charlie was waiting for me with one of his warm smiles. I wasn't wearing any shoes this time, and the grass was nice under my feet.

It wasn't hot, it was just pleasantly warm in the late May afternoon. Charlie looked very nice, and his smile stayed through the entire ceremony. He sounded very sure of himself when he went through his part of the vows, his slightly shiny blue eyes steady on mine. I could hear Mrs Weasley sobbing into her handkerchiefs behind us.

And then we kissed and we were married and I gave him a bright smile.

He held me tightly against him as the tent was rearranged for the reception. "So how does it feel to be the newest Mrs Weasley?"

I thought about the question for a moment. "Very similar to being the last Miss Lovegood. I am a little relieved, though, that that whole part is over." I rested my head against his shoulder, thinking for a moment. "It was very solemn."

"That's what this part is for, so everyone can celebrate with us." That's just what Bill had said.

Everyone did seem determined to celebrate. There were a lot of hugs and kisses and everyone seemed to be having a good time. I would have much rather sat at a table at the side of the room with Charlie, but as we were the newly married couple, it just wasn't allowed.

There was dancing, of course. I did like dancing with Charlie. He was a much better dancer than Ron and he didn't step on my feet once.

The cake was very tasty. I wanted to stay and have more, but Charlie told me that there was something better waiting for me at his- our- little cottage at the dragon preserve, and I didn't think he was just talking about sex.

So we flooed home. There had been a lot of toasts and both of us were feeling just a little too tipsy to trust Apparating. We weren't having a honeymoon, at least not right away. I had to return to training in a couple of days and Charlie couldn't get that much time away from the dragons.

It was raining at the Welsh Dragon Preserve, I could hear the comforting sound of the water hitting the roof. I'd moved all of my belongings in over the previous weekend, and it really felt like home.

As soon as we stepped out of the fireplace, Charlie swept me up into his arms, making me laugh. "I'm supposed to carry you somewhere, I think." He carried me the short distance from the fireplace to our kitchen table, where a summer pudding was waiting for me, that inviting deep red-pink all but calling to me.

"You made me summer pudding?" My favorite food ever.

"I had to ask your dad what I should make for you, because you were completely unhelpful," he complained, but his smile showed he wasn't really put out.

I waited until he put me down and then I threw my arms around his neck in a tight embrace, which he returned. "Thank you. You're so thoughtful."

"I know you love sweets, and I didn't want to stay at Mum and Dad's all afternoon while you had your fill of cake." He had that tone in his voice, the one that said that he wasn't necessarily talking about food.

He let me pull away and I took his hand instead. "I think the pudding can wait for another little while."


End file.
